Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK The 2018 first round pick has the tools to help elevate Carolina’s passing game. While finding answers at quarterback and left tackle have been at the top of the agenda for the Carolina Panthers over the past few years, another position that has needed some serious upgrades in both quality and depth is tight end. The last tight end to make a meaningful impact was Panthers legend Greg Olsen in 2019, his last season in Carolina, when at age 34 he played in 14 games with 52 receptions for 597 yards. Since Olsen’s departure the Panthers have relied heavily on Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble with very little to show for it in the passing game. The Panthers tight end woes Over the last three seasons Ian Thomas has played in 50 games (38 starts) with 59 receptions for 530 yards and one touchdown. That averages out to 1.2 receptions for 10.6 yards per game. In 2021 PFF ranked Thomas 69th of 73 tight ends and last year PFF ranked him 69th of 75. In 2021 the Panthers made the curious decision to invest the No. 83 overall pick in Tommy Tremble who in two years at Notre Dame had just 35 receptions for 401 yards. Tremble was known more for his blocking than his receiving in college and that hasn’t changed in the NFL. Through two seasons in Carolina he has played in 33 career games 39 receptions for 354 yards and four touchdowns. His per game averages are distressingly similar to Ian Thomas at 1.2 receptions for 10.7 yards. In 2021 PFF ranked him 62nd of 73 tight ends and in 2022 they ranked him 70th of 75. Over the last two seasons the Panthers have probably had the least amount of tight end production in the NFL. And, yes, tight ends are also responsible for blocking, something that both Thomas and Tremble do well enough, but even good blocking tight ends can average well above one reception for 10 yards per game. And don’t get me wrong - I’m not trying to dump on Ian Thomas or Tommy Tremble. They play hard and give their best. They have certain skills the team can and does utilize. Contributing in the passing game just isn’t one of those skills. My frustration lies with GM Scott Fitterer and the front office more than the players themselves. After Scott Fitterer went out and signed Hayden Hurst on a three-year, $21.8 million deal with $13 million guaranteed, my frustration has dissipated. Hayden Hurst’s contributions While Hurst isn’t a dominant receiver, he’s still a very capable one. In his five-year career he has averaged about 25 receiving yards per game and has scored 14 touchdowns. His best season came with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 when he pulled in 56 receptions for 571 yards and six touchdowns, which is impactful coming from the tight end spot. Last year with the Cincinnati Bengals he played in 13 games with 52 receptions for 414 yards, or an average of four receptions for 31.8 yards per game. He also caught 76.5% of his targets coming from Joe Burrow. PFF ranked him No. 29 of 73 tight ends last year. The Panthers haven’t had that level of productivity from a tight end since Greg Olsen’s swan song. Hurst also started four playoff games in his career and made a mark in the postseason. Over those four playoff starts he registered 17 receptions for 194 yards and two touchdowns. The Panthers could realistically be vying for the postseason in 2023, and Hurst should bring some veteran perspective in reaching that goal. The main concern with Hurst is his health. Despite being a first round pick in 2018 (No. 25 overall), he’s older than most fifth-year NFL players. Out of high school he played two unsuccessful years of professional baseball before walking on to the University of South Carolina’s football team. He’ll turn 30 in August. Hurst missed three games in 2021 with an ankle injury and missed three games last year with a calf strain so hopefully he can stay on the field in Charlotte. Hayden Hurst isn’t Travis Kelce in the passing game, but he’s the best receiving option at tight end that the Panthers have had in a couple of year. He’ll be a good security blanket for either veteran Andy Dalton who lacks the mobility to escape pressure, or for an overwhelmed rookie quarterback getting accustomed to the speed of the NFL. With free agent wide receivers Adam Thielen and DJ Chark coming to Carolina and the continued development of Terrace Marshall Jr., Hurst should be able to find some open seams over the middle of the field. For the first time in a long time, the Panthers just may have a difference-making player lining up at tight end. View the full article

Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK The 2018 first round pick has the tools to help elevate Carolina’s passing game. While finding answers at quarterback and left tackle have been at the top of the agenda for the Carolina Panthers over the past few years, another position that has needed some serious upgrades in both quality and depth is tight end. The last tight end to make a meaningful impact was Panthers legend Greg Olsen in 2019, his last season in Carolina, when at age 34 he played in 14 games with 52 receptions for 597 yards. Since Olsen’s departure the Panthers have relied heavily on Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble with very little to show for it in the passing game. The Panthers tight end woes Over the last three seasons Ian Thomas has played in 50 games (38 starts) with 59 receptions for 530 yards and one touchdown. That averages out to 1.2 receptions for 10.6 yards per game. In 2021 PFF ranked Thomas 69th of 73 tight ends and last year PFF ranked him 69th of 75. In 2021 the Panthers made the curious decision to invest the No. 83 overall pick in Tommy Tremble who in two years at Notre Dame had just 35 receptions for 401 yards. Tremble was known more for his blocking than his receiving in college and that hasn’t changed in the NFL. Through two seasons in Carolina he has played in 33 career games 39 receptions for 354 yards and four touchdowns. His per game averages are distressingly similar to Ian Thomas at 1.2 receptions for 10.7 yards. In 2021 PFF ranked him 62nd of 73 tight ends and in 2022 they ranked him 70th of 75. Over the last two seasons the Panthers have probably had the least amount of tight end production in the NFL. And, yes, tight ends are also responsible for blocking, something that both Thomas and Tremble do well enough, but even good blocking tight ends can average well above one reception for 10 yards per game. And don’t get me wrong - I’m not trying to dump on Ian Thomas or Tommy Tremble. They play hard and give their best. They have certain skills the team can and does utilize. Contributing in the passing game just isn’t one of those skills. My frustration lies with GM Scott Fitterer and the front office more than the players themselves. After Scott Fitterer went out and signed Hayden Hurst on a three-year, $21.8 million deal with $13 million guaranteed, my frustration has dissipated. Hayden Hurst’s contributions While Hurst isn’t a dominant receiver, he’s still a very capable one. In his five-year career he has averaged about 25 receiving yards per game and has scored 14 touchdowns. His best season came with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020 when he pulled in 56 receptions for 571 yards and six touchdowns, which is impactful coming from the tight end spot. Last year with the Cincinnati Bengals he played in 13 games with 52 receptions for 414 yards, or an average of four receptions for 31.8 yards per game. He also caught 76.5% of his targets coming from Joe Burrow. PFF ranked him No. 29 of 73 tight ends last year. The Panthers haven’t had that level of productivity from a tight end since Greg Olsen’s swan song. Hurst also started four playoff games in his career and made a mark in the postseason. Over those four playoff starts he registered 17 receptions for 194 yards and two touchdowns. The Panthers could realistically be vying for the postseason in 2023, and Hurst should bring some veteran perspective in reaching that goal. The main concern with Hurst is his health. Despite being a first round pick in 2018 (No. 25 overall), he’s older than most fifth-year NFL players. Out of high school he played two unsuccessful years of professional baseball before walking on to the University of South Carolina’s football team. He’ll turn 30 in August. Hurst missed three games in 2021 with an ankle injury and missed three games last year with a calf strain so hopefully he can stay on the field in Charlotte. Hayden Hurst isn’t Travis Kelce in the passing game, but he’s the best receiving option at tight end that the Panthers have had in a couple of year. He’ll be a good security blanket for either veteran Andy Dalton who lacks the mobility to escape pressure, or for an overwhelmed rookie quarterback getting accustomed to the speed of the NFL. With free agent wide receivers Adam Thielen and DJ Chark coming to Carolina and the continued development of Terrace Marshall Jr., Hurst should be able to find some open seams over the middle of the field. For the first time in a long time, the Panthers just may have a difference-making player lining up at tight end. View the full article

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports Here’s this week’s open thread. Greetings, internet users. Welcome to The Scratching Post. Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here. You know the drill. This is now an open thread! View the full article

Here’s a fresh weekend open thread just for you. Feel free to use this thread to hang out over the weekend and chat about whatever you want (just make sure you follow the ToS ... the rules still apply here) with anyone who decides to stick around. This is now an open thread! View the full article

Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images Out with the old D.J., in with the new D.J. The Carolina Panthers have agreed to a one-year deal with wide receiver D.J. Chark. This is by the far the splashiest move the Panthers have made in free agency as Chark brings the most star potential of any of their additions. While he’ll never replace D.J. Moore in our hearts, he is the odds on favorite to replace his production on the field in 2023. The speedster out of LSU was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played out his rookie contract with a struggling Jaguars team and left the team in 2022 tied for seventh place in the Jacksonville record books for most touchdowns scored. He signed with the Detroit Lions in 2022 but had a disappointing season as his second consecutive year was derailed by an ankle injury. Chark was one of the highest upside wide receivers in free agency this year, with the only real question between him and a thousand-yard season being his health. That he chose to come play for Frank Reich over returning to the Lions or joining an apparently ascendant Chicago Bears team says a lot about the staff being built here. We’ll update this story with contract numbers when they become available. View the full article

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images The Panthers are really stretching their legs in the name of due diligence this week The Carolina Panthers continued their Dinner Tour Across America (Eastern Time Zone only) last night when they dined with University of Kentucky quarterback Will Levis. Levis is considered one of the top four quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Kentucky pro day is today, where scouts from other teams will have the opportunity to join the entire Panthers organization in watching Levis throw and exercise in an attempt to raise his draft stock. Last night’s dinner was attended by the same high ranking employees and owners of the Carolina Panthers as the last two night’s dinners were: Owners David and Nicole Tepper, general manager Scott Fitterer, head coach Frank Reich, assistant general manager Dan Morgan, vice president of football administration Samir Suleiman, senior personnel executive Jeff Morrow, offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and senior assistant coach Jim Caldwell. Sources: Kentucky QB Will Levis is having dinner tonight with Panthers owners David & Nicole Tepper, GM Scott Fitterer, HC Frank Reich, AGM Dan Morgan, VP Samir Suleiman, and coaches Jim Caldwell, Thomas Brown and Josh McCown in Lexington. Levis will throw at UK tomorrow. — Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 23, 2023 Can you imagine going to dinner in three different cities with the same team from work to have, virtually, the same dinner three nights in a row? I hope these guys actually get along and not just work-get-along. Kentucky’s pro day will begin today at 10:00 AM EST and coverage will begin on the SEC Network at 11:30AM EST. View the full article

Carolina always finds itself with no reliable kickers, or multiple. Never the middle. Outside of one off hand, Piniero earned his spot. I hope his performance continues next season, and Zane land somewhere as well. He showed promise before his injury.

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports The Panthers have made their decision at the kicker position While it was originally reported that the Panthers would retain Zane Gonzalez as their kicker, that turned out to be false as of Thursday night. Panthers bring back Eddy Pineiro on a two-year deal, release kicker Zane Gonzalez. — Joe Person (@josephperson) March 23, 2023 #Panthers bring back kicker Eddy Piñeirohttps://t.co/ZeBjUUQMBG — Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) March 23, 2023 Pineiro had to step in for the Panthers late in the offseason of 2022 following an injury to Zane Gonzalez, who was coming off a heck of a year in 2021 as the Panthers kicker. Pineiro made 33 of 35 field goals and 30 of 32 PATs in 2022, a performance that put him in the top 3 in most categories as a kicker in the NFL. Originally, it sounded like the Panthers would stick with Zane Gonzalez despite his injury, however now we know they’ll ride with Pineiro. Zane Gonzalez will count for 625k against the cap in 2023, while Pineiro’s contract details have not yet been disclosed. Regardless, save for a couple of misses here and there, the Panthers have retained a kicker who got hot towards the end of 2022, having made 19 straight field goals to end the season. Sound off in the comments, Panthers fans! View the full article

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images The vast majority of the Carolina Panthers brain trust has moved on to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. They are there to observe Bryce Young, one of the top quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft and the second most likely pick for the Panthers according to the current odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The main event began today at 10:00 AM EST and will be televised at 1:00 PM EST on the SEC Network. Young could take the field at any minute now. Similarly to how they treated CJ Stroud’s event in Columbus, Ohio, the Panthers leadership made it into town early enough last night to take Young out for dinner. In attendance last night were owners David and Nicole Tepper, general manager Scott Fitterer, head coach Frank Reich, assistant general manager Dan Morgan, vice president of football adminsitration Samir Suleiman, senior personnel executive Jeff Morrow, offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and senior assistant coach Jim Caldwell. That is basically the same group that took Stroud out for dinner on Tuesday night. I wouldn’t read anything to any changes in the guest list as indicating which way the team is leaning. They may or may not have chosen their guy already, but they won’t finalize that decision until doing the legwork on each candidate. Remember, ‘thorough’ is the watchword of this offseason. No decisions will be made over a plate of homemade meatballs. View the full article

The Panthers continue to sign all of the free agents. The free agent signings start coming and they don’t stop coming. The Carolina Panthers continue to do everything in the free agent market, so there’s plenty more to talk about, but first...other stuff. Here’s the rundown: Cam Newton threw at Auburn’s pro day which is cool for him Cam’s viability as an NFL player, potential fits, and why the Panthers aren’t one of them The Panthers keep making our podcasts immediately out of date Miles Sanders’ fit in Carolina and how he might be utilized differently here versus when he was in Philadelphia An aside to talk about how crazy it is the Panthers are signing players to reasonable contracts and not bargain basement bin shopping or desperately overpaying players Expectations and contract analysis of the Hayden Hurst deal DeShawn Williams’ fit on the defense and his story of persistence Justin McCray is a backup offensive lineman so he won’t be good but that doesn’t mean he’s bad Donte Jackson and Ian Thomas took reworked deals Adam Thielen bolsters a depleted wide receiver corps. What color gloves will he wear in Carolina? Potential future free agent signings The joys of breaking news LINK TO SHOW View the full article

Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images At least twelve of the Panthers top decision makers are in Columbus today It will come as no surprise that the Carolina Panthers are in Columbus, Ohio today to watch C.J. Stroud’s pro day at Ohio State University. This is expected as part of their due diligence into all of the top quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft. What may come as a surprise is that the organization is in attendance with at least twelve of their top decision makers. Owners David and Nicole Tepper, general manager Scott Fitterer, head coach Frank Reich, assistant general manager Dan Morgan, vice president of football adminsitration Samir Suleiman, senior personnel executive Jeff Morrow, offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, quarterbacks coach Josh McCown, senior assistant coach Jim Caldwell, scouting director Cole Spencer, and scout Joel Patten are all in Columbus for today’s show. Going to @OhioStateFB Pro Day from the @Panthers. • Owners David & Nicole Tepper • GM Scott Fitterer • HC Frank Reich • AGM Dan Morgan • VP Samir Suleiman • OC Thomas Brown • QBs coach Josh McCown • Sr ass't Jim Caldwell • Scouting dir. Cole Spencer • Scout Joel Patten — Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 21, 2023 That’s a lot of brass in one location, but we should all stop short of betting our life savings on the Panthers taking Stroud with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The team is being thorough—a word that you will likely hear ten thousand more times between now and April 27th. The #Panthers met with Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud on Tuesday in advance of today’s pro day throwing session and plan to have another private meeting with Stroud before the draft in Charlotte, per sources. A thorough process as Carolina ponders the No. 1 pick. pic.twitter.com/2f9iU4b2hq — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 22, 2023 They met privately with Stroud yesterday and will have another pre-draft meeting with him in the next month. The only thing that sets Stroud apart from the other top quarterbacks (Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis) is the meeting before the pro day. Alabama’s pro day is tomorrow with Young and Kentucky’s will be Friday of this week with Levis. That means the Panthers will be unable to have a private meeting before the pro days of either Young or Levis due to scheduling. Richardson’s pro day at the University of Florida will be on March 30th (next Thursday). We’ll have to see how they treat that. This could all be an excessive commitment to being thorough, a poor smokescreen to disguise their interest in Stroud, or a true indication that the Panthers haven’t decided which quarterback they will ultimately take. View the full article

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports The Panthers continue to bolster their new defensive front. The Panthers are bringing back a familiar face for their new look 3-4 defense in 2023. #Panthers agree to terms with Henry Andersonhttps://t.co/lWjizbr3tb — Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) March 21, 2023 The Panthers are reportedly bringing back Henry Anderson on a 1 year deal for the 2023 season. Anderson played in 11 games for the Panthers in 2022, though he suffered a stroke midway through the season which caused him to miss from game 7 to game 12. Anderson generally played about 30% of the defensive snaps prior to the stroke (per Pro Football Reference), and was eased back in to end the season. Anderson is probably a better fit for the 3-4 DE job than he was as a 4-3 DE in Matt Rhule/Phil Snow’s defense. Anderson’s better seasons have come under 3-4 defensive alignnnets, though he hasn’t come close to matching his 7 sack, 16 QB hit year with the Jets in 2018. I personally like the signing a lot as a depth piece, as the Panthers have already brought in two other interior lineman for the 3-4 base defense. He will likely rotate with Derrick Brown and DeShawn Williams as 3-4 interior lineman. What are your thoughts? Sound off below in the comments! View the full article

I voted CJ Stroud, but I would be happy with either. I think Bryce Young is the best QB of this draft, but like many of others, his size terrifies me. If he was 4 inches taller and a bit heavier, then the decision would be easy.

Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports The Panthers made a few moves on defense, but building it in the image Ejiro Evero wants should see some more signings. The Panthers are in a transition period as a whole, though Frank Reich and Ejiro Evero appear to be building around the established pieces on defense rather than blowing up the unit and starting over. They made a few signings, none of which being particularly flashy, but the move to a 3-4 should see some new faces via the second wave of free agency and the NFL Draft. Let’s dive in. Defensive Line Key Additions: DT Shy Tuttle, DL DeShawn Williams The two defensive line signings we’ve seen so far were meant to build the barracks on the 3-4 interior front, as Shy Tuttle is projected to be the teams starting nose tackle, sliding Derrick Brown to the 3-4 defensive end spot in base formations. Tuttle’s career so far has seen him as a 4-3 defensive tackle, so it will be interesting to see this transition as a smaller player than one would expect at the 3-4 nose. Williams started 15 games as a 3-4 DE for the Broncos last year under Evero’s watch, so I would expect him to slate in as the starter opposite Brown in base formations. The rest of the DL room will be adapted from Matt Rhule/Phil Snow’s defense from the last few seasons. Brian Burns is going to be one of the outside linebackers, while I would expect a combination of Marquis Haynes and Frankie Luvu to man the other side, barring a signing of a true 3-4 outside linebacker. Amare Barno flashed as an edge rusher at times last season as well, and a 3-4 OLB role for him appears to be a better fit than as a true defensive end. The bottom line here is that while Carolina’s stated defensive front is 3-4, I’d expect a lot of hybrid looks from Evero to put the current talent in the best situation to succeed. Still, another pass rusher could be in the cards. Linebacker Key Additions: Zero, Shaq Thompson (restructure) One of the bigger question marks coming into the offseason was how this new coaching staff would handle Shaq Thompson’s 24 million dollar cap figure in 2023. They elected to give him a one year extension and shed a few million off the books for this year’s cap. Evero specifically mentioned Shaq as someone he was excited to work with, so this move isn’t surprising. Shaq will work alongside Frankie Luvu, who I expect to be used all over the defense this season. Luvu can do a lot of things from various positions along the defensive front. The biggest change here is that Jeremy Chinn is expected to go back to his hybrid DB/LB role he held in his rookie year, where he excelled. I wouldn’t expect the team to use Chinn as a linebacker in the traditional sense, however as a big nickel, 3-3-5 linebacker, or robber type role around the line of scrimmage should play to his strengths. Beyond that, the Panthers have Rhule holdover Brandon Smith, a highly athletic 4th round pick from last season. He could end up being used as more of a pass rusher, but I am excited to see what Evero comes up with for his role if he takes a couple of steps forward. Cornerback Key Additions: Zero The Panthers will return to 2023 with most of their CB room intact, with a top 3 of Jaycee Horn, Donte Jackson, and CJ Henderson. Horn and Jackson are both coming off injuries, though Horn’s fractured wrist shouldn’t be much of an issue for his 2023 season. Jackson, on the other hand, is rehabbing a torn Achilles and took a pay cut to miss a 4 million dollar roster bonus. I could see Carolina going after a veteran here, as Henderson hasn’t taken the step forward you’d expect from a 1st round pick, and behind him are mostly holdovers from Rhule. Myles Hartsfield also departed in free agency to join Steve Wilks in San Francisco, so the Panthers definitely need to figure out a plan for the nickel role. Safety Key Additions: Vonn Bell The Panthers’ plan at safety is the most interesting story line to me for the defense going into the 2023 season. Jeremy Chinn (as mentioned above) is slated to return to his hybrid role, and to spell that the Panthers signed Vonn Bell and restructured Xavier Woods to free up some cap. They also tendered Sam Franklin as a restricted free agent, who made his mark on special teams but also saw meaningful snaps as a reserve safety. As a safety mark, I would like to see them add at least one more via the Draft or free agency, so that’s just the former defensive back in me. I think Bell and Woods will be a solid enough duo to allow the team to use Chinn in ways that play to his strengths, but an injury to either of them certainly muddies the waters. What moves would you like to see the Panthers make on defense? View the full article

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports The former Eagle is coming off his first Pro Bowl season and is poised to make a huge impact in Carolina. Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer has overseen a virtually flawless free agency period with signings that will bolster both sides of the ball. The free agency acquisition that could have the most impact of them all is the signing of former Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders. Yes, I know in recent years that running back has been deemed to be the most replaceable position in football, but it’s also still a critically important piece to the offense. Most starting running backs will handle the ball somewhere between 200 and 300 times in a season, giving them an outsized opportunity to impact the game. Over his four years in Philly, Miles Sanders made a big impact on the Eagles offense. Panthers fans should be excited. College career and rookie season Before joining the Eagles, the 5-foot-11, 211 pound running back played three seasons at Penn State from 2016 to 2018. He was lightly used as a freshman and sophomore with just 56 carries for 375 yards during his first two seasons. But as a junior he broke out with 220 carries for 1,274 yards and nine touchdowns. He also had 24 receptions for 139 yards that year. He declared for the NFL draft after his junior season. The Eagles drafted Sanders in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. He had an impressive rookie season with 818 rushing yards (4.6 YPC) and three touchdowns to go along with 50 receptions for 509 yards and three more scores. He set franchise rookie records for both rushing and all-purpose yards. 2020 and 2021: The king of yards per carry In 2020, his second NFL season, Sanders appeared in 12 games with 164 carries for 867 yards (5.3 YPC) and six touchdowns. The only running backs with at least 150 carries who averaged more yards per carry than Miles Sanders were Nick Chubb (5.6 YPC), Aaron Jones (5.5 YPC), and Derrick Henry (5.4 YPC). That’s pretty good company for a second year running back. But in 2020 Sanders’s role as a pass catcher diminished with just 28 receptions for 197 yards. In 2021, his third season in Philly, Sanders put up 137 carries for 754 yards (an impressive 5.5 YPC) plus 26 receptions for 158 yards. The only running back with more carries than Sanders who also averaged more yards per carry was Nick Chubb at 5.52 yards per carry. In summary, between 2020 and 2021 Miles Sanders had 301 carries for 1,621 yards, or an elite 5.4 yards per carry. Panthers fans should be exited. His 2022 Pro Bowl campaign Last year was Sanders’s breakout season. He was a 2022 Pro Bowler after rushing for 1,269 yards (4.9 YPC) with 11 touchdowns, though he caught just 20 passes for 78 yards. Yes, Miles won the lottery playing behind the NFL’s best offensive line in 2022, per PFF, but as witnessed by his career 5.0 yards per carry average, he still knows how to read the defense, hit holes, and churn out yards. Now, what’s concerning about his 2022 season is he averaged a career low 1.7 yards after contact per attempt which ranked just 27th of 41 qualified running backs. He had averaged at least 2.1 yards after contact in each of his first three seasons, so the 2022 dip could simply be the result of having more carries, and therefore more fatigue, than he had in previous seasons. But still, the Panthers just signed a Pro Bowler at a critical offensive position who turns just 26 this offseason. Panthers fans should be excited. The contract and the future Kudos to Scott Fitterer for the contract he designed to get Sanders to Carolina. The four-year, $25.4 million contract with $13 million guaranteed is a team-friendly deal for a Pro Bowl running back just entering his prime. Per Spotrac, Sanders’s cap hit in 2023 is just $2.8 million before jumping to $7.7 million in 2024. The Panthers can get out of the contract after just two seasons, if necessary. Releasing Sanders after the 2024 season would result in $5.2 million in cap savings in 2025. But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. The obvious concern with most running backs is they’re going to wear out and break down quickly, and that’s a valid fear. Panthers fans should be optimistic about the relatively low mileage on Sanders’s odometer. Despite being an established four-year veteran, he still only has 739 carries in 57 career games, or an average of about 13 carries per game. Even when he played more of a lead back role last year with 259 carries over 17 games, he still only averaged 15.2 attempts per contest. He should still have a lot of good football ahead of him. Once again, Panthers fans should be excited. View the full article

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports Here’s this week’s open thread. Greetings, internet users. Welcome to The Scratching Post. Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here. You know the drill. This is now an open thread! View the full article

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports The Panthers have finally made a move for their biggest need on offense The Panthers finally signed a wide receiver. Sources: The #Panthers are finalizing a 3-year deal with former #Vikings WR Adam Thielen, as his second act begins in Carolina. pic.twitter.com/briLunUjpg — Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 19, 2023 After trading DJ Moore as part of their deal with the Chicago Bears for the #1 overall pick, the Panthers have finally added someone to try and fill that void. Adam Thielen visited with the Panthers earlier this week, but left Charlotte with no deal. But, as has been a trend with the Panthers during this free agency period, it seems the sides came to an agreement in the evening hours of the weekend. The veteran has spent his entire career so far in Minnesota, having played second fiddle to the likes of Stefon Diggs and Justin Jefferson, both elite wide receivers. Thielen hasn’t cracked the 1,000 yard mark as a receiver since 2018, however he’s seen plenty of work with over 300 targets and 30 TDs in the last 3 seasons of his career. He joins a Carolina WR room in desperate need of a veteran presence. I wouldn’t expect this to be the last move the Panthers make at this spot in 2023. Sound off below, Panthers fans! View the full article

Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports The Panthers have added a versatile offensive lineman for depth in 2023 The Panthers have kicked off the second wave of free agency, signing an offensive lineman who has played at every spot along the front. #Panthers agree to terms with Justin McCrayhttps://t.co/iPk7hkYHgj — Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) March 17, 2023 Justin McCray played for now Panthers offensive line coach James Campen with three different NFL squads, so this is clearly a move to add a familiar face as depth for the Panthers. McCray most recently spent time with the Houston Texans as a guard, however through 29 career starts and 76 games played, McCray has seen time just about everywhere. The release of Pat Elflein earlier this week made sense from a cap standpoint, however the Panthers lost an interior lineman who could play multiple positions. This is the move to fill that gap, and with starting 2022 offensive guards Brady Christensen and Austin Corbett both recovering from injuries to end the season, it makes sense to bring in some veteran depth to support the current group. Sam Tecklenburg, Cade Mays, and Deonte Brown are the current interior lineman on roster as backups, so someone with a larger resume in the NFL should support them. Sound off in the comments, Panthers fans! View the full article

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports Two of the Panthers major extensions from last season have been reworked The Panthers active free agency period continued on Thursday as they reworked two of the more... um... maligned deals from 2022. First, they got Ian Thomas to take a pay cut. Panthers TE Ian Thomas has taken a pay cut, per league source and as @TomPelissero said. A year after getting 3-yr, $16.95M contract, Thomas agrees to $3M and $3.65M salaries in ‘23 and ‘24. Move creates extra $2.875M in cap space this year. — Joe Person (@josephperson) March 16, 2023 Ian Thomas signed a 3 year extension in 2022 that was expected to garner him 16.95 million in total, however by reducing his salary they found a way to keep him at what some would say is closer to his value. Thomas will make a little less in 2023 now, however per Spotrac his cap hit will jump to 6.1 million in 2024. They could save 3 million on the cap next year by cutting him, though we’ll see if he can take a step forward as a receiver this year. Thomas showed to be most valuable as a perimeter blocker in 2022. Second on the list, the Panthers restructured Donte Jackson’s contract to avoid paying him a 4 million dollar roster bonus in 2023. #Panthers announce they’ve restructured CB Donte Jackson’s contract. He was due a $4 million roster bonus tomorrow. If it was a traditional restructure, it would save around $3.9 million. He’s coming off an Achilles tear but is under 30 and the team clearly wanted to keep him. — Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) March 16, 2023 The exact details are a little unclear as of the time of this writing, but it appears the Panthers have taken some money off the table for Jackson as he recovers from an Achilles tear in 2022. Jackson is still slated to be the number two cornerback in 2023, but he’ll need to prove he’s back at 100%. We’ll see what the details are in the coming days. Sound off in the comments, Panthers fans! View the full article

Josh McCown had a great breakdown of his film against Georgia.

It gets better with every watch 🤣

I love this clip with every fiber of my being. 😂

The general consensus seems to be leading toward wanting CJ Stroud, but is there anybody who thinks we should take one of the other top QBs? If so, who do you want the Panthers to pick?

After losing out on the Fangio sweepstakes, I didn't think landing Evero was a possibility, and it doesn't seem fair to call this a consolation prize. This was another excellent hire by the organization. Although the staff isn't complete yet, in terms of raw coaching talent, this is the most well-rounded Carolina has ever put in place. They're taking their time with it, and getting the right guys in place. At least on paper. Time will tell if the chemistry is there, but I appreciate the approach they're taking, and I think it will pay off in the long run. Panthers Social Media has been on point with their Frank Reich coverage, but I want to take a second to highlight an article they put out on Evero. I'll just list the list, and drop a link below if you would like to read more into it. Coming from Denver - The numbers speak for themselves here. As Defensive Coordinator, his unit continued to impress all season. Super Bowl win as a Rams coach - Ever was the defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach for the Rams 2021 Super Bowl run Worked with Dom Capers in Green Bay - That's a familiar name to many Panthers fans, as the first head coach in Panthers history. Started his NFL coaching career with Tampa Bay in 2007 as a defensive quality control coach Was born in England, but raised in California Full Article: https://www.panthers.com/news/five-things-to-know-about-new-defensive-coordinator-ejiro-evero